UMSC boss calls for unity amid Mubaje’s installation as Grand Mufti

Jinja, (UG):- The National Chairman of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), Prof Dr Muhamadi Lubega Kisambira has urged Muslims to prioritize reconciliation and unity citing that the development of Islam is based on such principles.

Dr Lubega, who also doubles as the First Deputy Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom, urged the Muslim followers to trust the structures of UMSC, saying it has the best spirit for the development of the Islamic religion in Uganda. He argues that the absence of unity and reconciliation is the major cause of misunderstandings in the religion.

The UMSC Chairman was on Friday addressing over 300 Muslim leaders from all mosques that make up the Busoga Sub-region who converged at his home in Jinja City for an Iftar dinner. 

He was responding to the ongoing protests in Kampala with a section of Muslims defying the installation of Grand Mufti Shaban Mubaje recently as the new Mufti of Uganda saying his term had ended and didn’t qualify to stand again since he had made 70 years citing the relevance of the Constitution that guides them. 

However, Dr Lubega clarified that the 1972 Muslim Constitution gives any person willing to stand, a chance as long as you are between 40 to 75 years, saying Mufti was legally installed without any bribery and his Deputy is Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa. 

“The constitution which was amended on July 13, 2022, gives liberty to Mufti Mubajje to stand and contest for the position of Mufti. It states that you’re free to contest as long as you’re 45-75 years and whoever is elected shall serve a term of ten years,” Dr Lubega clarified.

Meanwhile, the Muslim leaders, who included district Khadis, Women leaders, youth leaders, Imams, and Amirahs, among others thanked the UMSC National Chairman and the entire UMSC leadership for empowering Muslims with development projects like cocoa growing.

Previously, the UMSC under the stewardship of Dr. Lubega introduced an initiative of a cocoa growing program which has benefited many Muslims, thus changing lives. The leaders asked for more empowerment programs of this kind for all Muslim regions.